The path from your desires to reality
ARMENIA + GEORGIA
WINE & GASTRONOMY tour in Georgia & Armenia
Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Price: from €1,285 / person. (meals + entry tickets to activities included in the price) - this price does not include the plane ticket in addition to the service
Best Travel Season March to October
Description : For this service, ANSI Travel offers you the best of both worlds!
Armenia and Georgia each have their own language and their own traditions...
However, these two countries are based on the same historical base and a common civilization rooted in Christianity. To study one of these countries without taking into account the influence of the other would be a mistake.
The combination of visiting these 2 lands will allow you to better understand the geopolitical and cultural relations of this region of the Caucasus, which means that these 2 countries are irremediably linked to each other...
Come with us to take a page of Georgian history!
Day 1.
Tbilisi group walk to discover the city center.
During this day, ANSI Travel and its partner on site will transport you to atypical places, known only to local inhabitants...
Of course, our tour will also take you to more expected places in Tbilisi such as Metekhi Church, Vakhtang Gorgasali Monument, Statue of Mother Creator of Georgia, Narikala Fortress, Shardeni Street, Anchiskhati Church, and all the other great monuments that make Tbilisi local famous!
Highlights:
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Passage by cable car
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Opportunity to take photos of the Legvtakhevi waterfalls
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Come and enjoy the unique and picturesque Clock Tower of Rezo Gabriadze's Puppet Theater
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Come explore Narikala Fortress
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Taste local Georgian wine
Day 2.
From Tbilisi: Private Jinvali – Ananuri – Gudauri - Kazbegi Tour
Total duration of the stages: 12 hours.
Come and explore Kazbegi Gergeti Holy Trinity Church, surrounded by majestic mountains and breathtaking valleys.
You will also be able to appreciate the amazing ski slopes of the Gudauri resort, and its mountain landscapes worthy of the most beautiful Alpine landscapes in Switzerland.
Points of interest during the Tour:
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Jinvali Reservoir Tour
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Hear the story of Ananuri Fortress
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Typical lunch at “Pasanauri” restaurant offering local Georgian food
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Discover the traditional Georgian meal “the Khinkali”
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Discovery / visit of the Gudauri Ski-resort
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Admire the Friendship Mural, erected to celebrate the relationship between Georgia and Russia.
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Explore Kazbegi town
Day 3.
Guided Tour of Mtskheta and Jvary Monasteries
Duration: 5 hours.
Come explore the original ancient capital of Georgia!
In this half-day tour, you will have the opportunity to discover the old capital of Mtskheta and its rich history. Come stroll through the small streets of the city and appreciate its unique local architecture. You will also have a clear and detailed explanation of how the “Svetitskhoveli” Cathedral was built at the time.
Finally, we will take you to the 6th c. church of Jvari and you will be mesmerized by the view overlooking the city of Mtskheta at the confluence of the 2 arms of the river, which meet
Stop 1: Jvari Monastery
The name of this monastery can literally be translated as, “the Monastery of the Cross”. The Orthodox monastery of Jvari is dated from the 6th century AD. Along with the historic structure of Mtskheta, the site is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Jvari Monastery stands high in the surrounding mountains, at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, overlooking the city of Mtskheta, formerly considered the capital of the Iberian Kingdom.
Stop 2: Mtskheta
Mtskheta – One of the oldest citadels in Georgia, built by ancient tribes in the 5th century. Due to its historical significance and the importance of some of its monuments, this place has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. It was a capital of the origin of the existence of the kingdom of Georgia of Iberia going from the 3rd BC until the 5th S. AD
Despite everything, Mtskheta continues to be the benchmark and favorite place for the burial of successive kings until the 19th century. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (literally, the Cathedral of the Living Pillars) is currently the 2nd most imposing church built in Georgia, in size, after the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Known as the place where the mantle of Christ himself rests, Svetitskhoveli is one of the most revered and adored places in the Caucasus region.
Transfer from Tbilisi to Yerevan via comfortable minibuses.
Day 4.
– Arrival – Yerevan city Tour – Museum of the history of Armenia -Visit of the brandy factory “Ararat” – Visit of a carpet factory
Arrival: Arrival at “Zvartnots” International airport. Meet the guide at the Airport arrival terminal.
Breakfast provided upon your arrival at the airport. Transport provided from the airport to the hotel.
Check in Hotel.
Armenian History Museum / National Gallery
The Armenian National Gallery was founded in 1921. This collection built in connection with the stock of works offered by the Lazarev Institute. The Armenian National Gallery, contains numbers of treasures of the world of art. The collection includes ancient works from previous centuries, up to a more contemporary era, works from the 21st century such as J. Tintoretto, Donatello, PP Rubens, B. Strozzi, G. Courbet, V. Kandinsky, M. Chagall , M. Sarian, H. Aivazovsky, V. Sureniants and many more…
The Museum of Armenian History was founded in 1919 during the time of the 1st Republic of Armenia. The objects presented cover a period from the pre-historic era to the 20th century.
In this museum you can appreciate works from ancient Egypt to Persia, Syria as well as the Roman Empire or the Byzantine era. This historical collection is regularly enriched with new finds and rare pieces from excavations on Armenian territory.
“Megerian carpet” Museum - history of the Armenian carpet
Armenia is one of the oldest nations in the history of the Armenian world. The production and manufacture of carpets bears witness to this for almost 2 centuries.
For 4 generations now, the Megerians family has been involved in the production and restoration of antique rugs. In Armenia, the Megeryans family used the natural coloring method. They obtain this coloring from the high plateaus of the Armenian mountains, composed of flowers, roots and plants, each more colorful than the other, while respecting the traditional way of doing things of the elders.
The Megeryans family has been able to adapt its production and the patterns offered through the ages, to arrive today at carpet models with a contemporary design In this factory, come and appreciate and learn their ancestral production method!
“Arrarat” Brandy / Spirits Manufacture
ARARAT is the quintessential symbol and emblem of Armenia.
Few know it, but Armenia has a wine tradition, deeply rooted in the national culture. The land here is fertile and the climate quite conducive to growing vines, thanks in particular to the presence of clay soil and plenty of sunshine throughout the year. Today, ARRARAT spirits are considered the national pride, producing brandies of excellent quality, awarded at major international wine fairs.
The ARRARAT Museum is an integral part of the house's production site located on the banks of the Hrazdan River.
From 8 am until 9 pm, a welcoming guide is there to inform you and introduce you to the house in Armenian / Russian / French / English / German, so that you can immerse yourself in a rich history of several decades!
You will have the opportunity on site to taste a wide variety of Brandy, from the most matured vintage to the youngest vintage.
Dolma: Dolma is undoubtedly one of the most popular dishes in Armenian culture. The Dolma is prepared from thin slices of grilled beef or lamb, mixed with fragrant rice, fresh herbs rolled in vine leaves. The Armenians use herbs such as coriander, mint, basil or tarragon to affirm the taste.
The Dolma, can be varied according to the regions and be prepared in a slightly different way depending on where you are.
Day 5.
Yerevan- the Arche de Charent – the Temple of Garni – Noyan Garden cultural center – the monastery of Geghard.
Duration: 6-7 hours.
Distance: 100 km from the capital
Garni Temple
Built in the 1st Century by King Trdat III. It is the only pagan temple preserved in Armenia, after the adoption of Christianity by the country. It is believed that this temple was dedicated to Mithras, the Sun Goddess in Armenian culture. Adjoining this temple, you will be able to appreciate the remains of the palace, in particular the area of the thermal baths of the time!
Geghard Monastery
We will then head to one of the most extraordinary places in Armenia, the Monastery of Geghard!
The Monastery of Geghard is one of the great architectural marvels of Armenia, in particular by the fact that it is dug into the rock, which characterizes this monastery in the form of a cave!
This monastery was founded in the 4th century AD, it is now listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Noyan Garden Cultural Center
We will then visit the "Garden of Noah", which is located a few distances from the temple of Garni
The "Garden of Noah" represents Armenia in all its variety. For thousands of years, Armenia has been built on its various achievements whether it is cooking, the art of making wine & spirits or its global intellectual influence!
At the “Noyan Garden Cultural Center”, you can enjoy the live production of the Armenian national bread, the “lavash” as well as you can taste the “Brduch”, the Armenian snack par excellence!
Finally, you can also take part in the masterclass on the production and distillation of fruity vodka and of course, you will also have the opportunity to taste it!
The "Garden of Noah" will introduce you to Armenian culture in all its quintessence, you will be completely immersed thanks to this visit!
Masterclasses and Tastings during the visit:
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“Lavash” production of Armenian national bread
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Sweet “Sudjukh” (or “Churchkhela”)
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Distillation of Armenian Fruity Vodka
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Potteries / Ceramics
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Carpet Making Workshop
Lunch at the house / typical restaurant: "My Garden"
Khorovats: Armenians prepare barbecue, according to their national recipe, “khorovats”.
The Armenian “khorovats” is a local delicacy and a family ritual and meetings between friends for the Armenians, we will make you discover these wonders!
Day 6.
Yerevan – Lake Sevan – Sevanavank – Dilijan – Haghartsin Monastery – Yerevan
Duration 9 hours.
Distance: 220km
Discover for this 3rd day with us, the underside of the Armenian countryside and the suburbs of Yerevan. We will explore one of the largest pure water high lakes – Lake Sevan as well as the Sevanavank Monastery, built by Princess Mariam in 874.
Thereafter we will cross the enchanting and deep forest of Dilidjian to arrive at the monastery of Goshavank.
This monastery is located in the middle of the green village of Goshavank.
Finally, we will finish our exploration by the monastery of Hagharstin, you will be blown away by its beauty and its imposing architectural structure.
This monastery composed of 4 independent chapels was built in place of a pagan temple in the old days
The Haghartsin Monastery: The Haghartsin Monastery is a spiritual place and a medieval cultural center of Armenia, located about 12km from the site of Dilijan, surrounded by a thick forest and fantastic landscapes. This place is considered a rare example of perfect harmony between human architecture and nature. The Haghartsin Monastery is located on a plateau surrounded by wooded mountains, it is a rich monument of high architectural value where many religious inscriptions are carved into the stone. This building has allowed historians to rest on a solid foundation of the heritage of medieval Armenia.
Together with Goshavank, Haghpat and Varagavanq, Haghartsin Monastery is known to have played a major role in promoting local education and transmitting the apostolic Christian religion of Armenia.
During its predominance in the region at the time The Haghartsin Monastery, it is known that a religious school renowned throughout the country was built in this period of the 12th century.
Goshavank: Goshavank is one of the most prominent monasteries in the Aghstev river valley.
The Getik monastery was built in the 12th century and then completely destroyed following an earthquake. The formation of the Goshavank complex was built in the 12th and 13th century.
This monastic complex is composed of St. Astvatsatsin Church with its simplistic architecture, St. Gregory Church composed of smaller volumes but featuring an architecture similar to that of St. Astvatsatsin, then finally the chapel of “Gregory the Illuminator » composed of exterior ornamental frescoes.
Goshavank is rich in decorations and illuminations engraved on the rock itself as well as magnificent khachkars (Armenian crosses engraved on stelae that can go up to 1m20 in height). The monastic complex of Goshavank was in the 13th century one of the major places for teaching catechism, literature, philosophy and theology.
This multiple learning center later served as the basis for founding monastic schools across the region. Goshavank Monastery is one of the jewels of Armenia's medieval architectural period and a national pride for the Armenian people.
Lake Sevan: The high altitude lake, Lake Sevan is considered by many to be “the pearl of Armenia”
Located at an altitude of 1.900m above sea level in the center of the land, approx. 65km separation from the capital Yerevan, and also recognized as the largest lake in the entire Caucasian region.
From all sides, Sevan is surrounded by mountain ranges, offering a remarkable view of the high lake. This lake of Sevan is recognized for the purity of its water and for the beneficial effects of its high nature for health!
Sevanavank: The monastery of Savanavank is located on the peninsula of Sevan. This monastery was built in the year 305 by one of the founding fathers of the Armenian nation, Gregory the Illuminator. In the 9th century Princess Syunik made it one of the central places of Armenia.
Jour 6.
Erevan – Lake Sevan – Sevanavank – Dilijan– monastère de Haghartsin– Erevan
Découvrez pour ce 3ème jour en notre compagnie, les dessous de la campagne Arménienne et les faubourgs de Erevan. Nous explorerons un des plus grands lacs d’altitude d’eau pur – le Lac Sevan ainsi que le monastère de Sevanavank, construit par la princesse Mariam en 874.
Day 7.
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to Zvartnots Airport